Chef Gastro-engineering (Long Track) as Key Actors in Integrated Nutritional Care
Chef Gastro-engineering (Long Track) as Key Actors in Integrated Nutritional Care
The healthcare sector faces a structural challenge: despite medical progress, malnutrition among hospitalized and vulnerable patients remains a persistent problem. Reduced appetite, taste alterations, swallowing difficulties, and sensory decline lead to decreased food intake, with negative consequences for recovery, comfort, and quality of life.
An Erasmus+ project demonstrated that this problem is not purely medical or nutritional, but also culinary in nature: the meal often does not sufficiently match the needs, preferences, and capabilities of the patient. It is precisely in this gap that a new professional role emerged: the Chef Gastro-engineering. This chef connects culinary expertise with nutritional, sensory, and clinical insights.